Vanilla
by the-insufferable-know-it-all
Summary: Oneshot, HG, PostHBP. She smells like vanilla. It was an odd thing to notice, but he had always been one for details. It wasn’t too much, but enough where if he read the word or smelled vanilla somewhere, his mind would wander to her face.


**Vanilla **

_By the-insufferable-know-it-all_

_Disclaimer: _If you recognize it, I don't own it.

**Summary: **(One-shot) She smells like vanilla. It was an odd thing to notice, but it was nice. It wasn't too much, but enough to catch a hint of it when she turned her head. It was enough to the point that if he read the word or smelled vanilla somewhere his mind would wander to her face. He couldn't escape her.** (H/G, post-hbp)**

--

She smells like vanilla.

It was an odd thing to notice, but he had always been one for details. It wasn't too much, but enough to catch a hint of it when she turned her head. It was enough to the point that if he read the word or smelled vanilla somewhere, his mind would wander to her face.

Take now, for example. Potions class.

_Add 1 tsp. vanilla extract, stir twice clockwise._

And then came her face to his mind again. She was tormenting him, and she didn't even know it. He just couldn't escape her. She was haunting him, in a way.

A bell signaling the end of class interrupted his thoughts, and he collected his books and left the dungeons.

--

(**That night at dinner)**

Harry had just finished dinner and was moving onto dessert. Hermione and Ron were bickering about something or the other, and at the moment he didn't really care.

His eyes scanned the dinner before they rested upon a bowl of vanilla ice cream.

Instantly, his thoughts changed from dessert to her. He glanced in her direction.

She was laughing with some friends of hers. He always thought she was most beautiful when she laughed. The way her brown eyes lit up, and she would tilt her head back if it was particularly funny. Her long red hair would bounce, and she had a look of sheer delight on her face.

She cast a fleeting look in his direction. He immediately averted his eyes back to dessert, although his mind was still filled with thoughts of a certain red-headed girl.

--

**(The next day, common room.)**

Harry was doing Defense against the Dark Arts homework when he smelled the presence of vanilla. He looked up, knowing who it was, only to make eye contact with her.

"Harry, can I talk to you?" She asked him with pleading eyes.

He wonders what about. He studies her. He wants her so badly.

But he can't have her back, for her own protection. Everyone he loves dies, and he wouldn't be able to live if she died, knowing it was his fault. He couldn't put her in danger.

But something in the back of his mind tells him to say yes. So he does.

They decide to take a walk on the grounds. All is silent, save an occasional rustle of leaves. She looks out towards the lake.

"I miss you." She says simply. "We haven't talked in months."

Oh, if she knew how much it took to try to ignore her. Ever since they broke up, the few months he had endured had been horrible. The only thing that kept him going was knowing that after the war they'd be able to be together. If he survived, that was.

When Harry didn't respond, she continued.

"I miss the way we used to be. We could talk to each other every now and then, at least. I know we can't be together, for noble reasons of your own, but I miss you so much. I miss knowing you're there when I have a problem. I miss us just talking about anything and everything. And to put it plainly, I just miss you."

Harry sighed.

"I don't want him knowing we're close at all. I couldn't bear it if I lost you."

"Harry, I'm not a little girl anymore. I know the risk I'm putting myself in, but I'm willing to risk it because you mean that much to me."

"Ginny, you mean the world to me. You're the reason I'm still going. For now I don't want anything to happen. We can be together after it's over. If I survive." Harry muttered the last part.

"Harry, don't you DARE say that. Don't you dare."

Instead of a response, he stared out past the lake.

"I'm not saying we need to be the way we used to. I just want us to talk, Harry. You have no idea how hard it is to look at you and know that I can't even talk to you anymore. You don't know how much it hurts, wanting anything this bad."

"I don't know how much it hurts? Ginny, it's killing me inside. It's slowly eating away at me. I've never wanted anything this bad in my entire life. Yet I'm doing this for you, so you can be safe. I said it already; I'm not going to lose you."

Tears started to form in Ginny's eyes.

"But… but I'm going to fight anyways and you won't stop me. What's the difference if there's a chance of you losing me anyways?"

"There's a huge difference, Ginny. The chance is greater if he knows we're close. He'll target you, knowing that I'd do anything for you."

She stared wistfully into his green eyes.

"There's no point in arguing, is there?"

"No."

A few moments of silence passed between them.

Finally, she broke the silence.

"I guess that's the way it will have to be then. Just promise me one thing, Harry."

He stared into her eyes, telling her to continue.

"Promise me that after this is over, we can be together."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I don't think I'll survive."

"You will, Harry, you will. I believe in you." She continued. "Tell me you promise."

He hesitated, before finally saying "Okay."

They just stared at each other before she took a step forward. He breathes the scent of vanilla, knowing that it is coming from her. It calms him a little.

"I guess this is good-bye for now, Harry."

She gave him a soft kiss on the lips before turning away and heading back towards the castle. He stared after her, wanting her just as bad, if not worse, than before. The smell of vanilla fades away with her, and he knows that it'll be a while before he can smell it again.

He'll survive, he decides. He'll do it for her.

He won't break his promise.

--

**It didn't turn out how I wanted at all. It turned angsty, and I didn't want it like that at all. I don't really like it, but I figured I'd post it anyways. What do you think?**

**Thanks.**


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